Senate Passes Legislation to Conduct a Study of Homeless Veterans in New York State

The NYS Senate passed a bill (S.4049-A), co-sponsored by Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., that requires the Division of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study to determine how many of the people experiencing homelessness in New York are veterans and identify issues specific to veteran women and single parents.

“We must guarantee housing issues are eliminated for our dedicated veterans. When military service is complete, we should not only welcome our veterans back, but work to ensure that everyone has a safe, affordable residence to call home,” said Addabbo, a member of the Senate Committee for Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs. “Our military, past and present, deserve every opportunity to access affordable housing, employment, proper nutrition, health care, substance abuse care and aftercare, mental health counseling and personal development,” Addabbo said.

The Office of the New York State Comptroller reported in 2017 that from 2011 to 2016, while New York’s total homeless population grew by 36%, the number of homeless veterans in the state dropped by 78%. Female veterans compromise the fastest growing segment of the homeless veteran population. This study may help identify veteran homelessness issues specific to women and single parents.

The bill was delivered to the Assembly and referred to the Ways and Means Committee.